Stone and masonry renovating device



' R. J. BRINKER STONE AND MASONRY RENOVATING DEVICE Sept. 26, 1933.

Filed Dec.

4 Sheets-Sheet l I INVENTOR. BY My. 6%

Sept. 26, 1933. BRlNKER 1,928,246

STONE AND MASONRY RENOVATIN DEVICE Filed Dec. 13. 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR.

a? "ggam Sept. 26, 1933. R. J. BRINKER 1,928,246

swons AND MASONRY RENOVATING nnvxcs Filed Dec. 15, 19:52 4 Sheets-Sheeii3 INVENTOR. I I

Sept. 26, 1933. R. J. BRINKER 1,928,246

STONE AND MASONRY RENOVATING DEVICE Filed Dec. 15, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 4INVBVTOR.

Patented Sept. 26, 1933 PATENT OFFICE STONE AND -MASONRY RENOVATINGDEVICE Richard Joseph Brinker, Washington, D. 0.

Application December 13, 1932 a Serial No. 647,033

2 Claims.

This invention relates to cleaning apparatus generally. Morespecifically this invention relates to scrubbing and cleaning apparatusemploying steam driven rotary-brushes.

An object of this invention is to provide a steam driven rotary brushscrubbing mechanism housed in a frame insuch a manner that it is readilyand conveniently adapted'for use in removing accumulated debris frombuilding surfaces particularly the vertical walls.

Another object of my .invention is to provide a steam driven rotarybrush scrubbing mechanism with a pair of brushes adapted for rotation inopposite directions to facilitate balanced operation of the mechanismand to more efiiciently and readily remove accumulated debris frombuilding walls.

' Still another object of this invention is to provide a steam drivenrotary scrubbing mechanism with a pair of rotary brushes housed in aconveniently-handled casing in such a manner asto facilitate theapplication and use of the brushes in the cleaning of building-walls andsurfaces.

Other and further objects of this invention will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art to which it relates from the following specification:

In accordance with this invention I provide a steam drivenrotary brushmechanism particularly adapted for use in the scrubbing andclean- -ingof'buildingwalls and surfaces. A pair-of rotary brushes driven in theopposite directions by means of a small steam turbine which is gearedtothe shafts of the brushes, are employed in my invention to loosen'andremove thedirt and other accumulateddebrisfrom the walls being cleaned.Suitable valves are used to control the steam for driving the turbineand also to control the steam fed tothe rotary brushes ad In ac jacentto the surface being cleaned. cordance with this invention I also employa solution saturated steam both for driving the rotor for turning thebrushes and for cleaning and scrubbing the walls. In the cleaning of thewalls a solution made up of one of the Weak acids derived from fruits,such as, the citrus fruits, particularly, limes, is used to remove theundesired wall surface. Afterthe stone and masonry walls are cleaned Iapply a molten wax to the surface thereof. This wax is preferablyderived from the peelings of citrus fruit and is appliedby the action ofsteam.

These and other features of this invention will be readily understoodfrom the following description when read in conjunction with thedrawings which form a part thereof and in which Fig. 1 illustrates avertical view in fragmentary section of an embodiment ofthis invention;Fig. 2'shows a top plan view; Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation;v Fig.4 is a sectional view taken on a plane through the motor housing in Fig.1; and Fig. 5 is a detail view of a brush attachment.

Referring to the drawings in detail reference numeral 1 designates thelower frame section of the scrubbing mechanism to whichis attached thehousing 2 which is provided with the steam turbine or rotor housingsection intermediate longitudinally extending worm gear housingsections' and the gear housing sections 3. These latter sections 3 areattached to the lower frame section'lby screws 30 and are enclosed atthe top byplates 6 attached theretoby screws 6a.

Handles5 are attached to the ends of the frame 1 by suitable screws orbolts 5a as illustrated in Fig. 3; All of these members, that is, theframe 1,.housing 2, casings 3 and handles 5 are preferably madeofaluminum or suitable alloy which is both light in weight and ofsufficient strength;

Brushes 7. are attached to the shaft 9 by the threads 8 for rotation bythe gear was illustrated in the partial section of Fig. 1. These brushes7 so may bev madeof any suitable material, such as, vegetable or animalfibres or metal wires attached to.a. suitable supporting member.

This gear l0is attached to the shaft 9 by the nut'll and is positionedfor rotation in the space 3a of the casing 3. A similar arrangement of agear attached to a shaft and retained in place by a nut is provided todrive theother brush, that is, the mechanism in both of the casings 3 isthe same. .A bronze bearing bushing 9a is positioned in the casing 3 andextends downward through the frame 1 and section 3d adjacent to the.brush '7. The spaces 3a and 3b in the casing are normally keptpractically full'of heavy: oil for lubricating the gear 10, worm gear 13and shaft 9.

Theapron la of the frame 1 may be extended further downward topractically enclose the sides of the brushes, if desired, to preventspreading of the dirt and other material removed from the building wallsat high velocity.

The intermediate portion of the housing 2 is provided with a hole 14?)for receiving the tube 2 as illustrated in Figs. 2 and l.

In Fig. 2 fragments of'the worm gear housing and covers 6 have been cutawayto illustrate the worm gears 13in engagement with the gears 10.These worm gears 13 are retained in place upon the shaft 13a of thesteam turbine or rotor 14 by suitable keys. This rotor 14 is retained inposition on the shaft 13a by means of the key 15.

Suitable bearings, such as, a ball made of properly treated steel areprovided between the ends of the shaft 13a and the members 12, which areadjustably retained on the open ends of the worm gear housing bysuitable threads or in any other methods well known in the art. Thedesign of these bearings is, of course, determined by the number ofrevolutions that the shaft is required to make in a given time, however,for most practical purposes the type of bearing employing a single steelball of suitable size is very satisfactory.

Tubes 2d and 2f are provided to feed the steam or solution saturatedsteam to the brushes and the rotor, respectively. The tube 2d is bent toform an elbow having the section 2e which is fitted into a hole providedto the frame 1 below the rotor housing. Small valves 2b and 2c areconnected to the tubes 2d and 2f to provide means for controlling theflow of steam or solution to the brushes and rotor, respectively. Thetubes 2d and 2f are joined together at a point adjacent to the valvesand the supply line coupling member 2g which is provided to facilitateconnecting this device to the supply of cleaning solution.

This cleaning solution is fed to the rotor and brushes preferably as wetsteam which may be super heated if desired.

The housing surrounding the rotor 14 is preferably made in two sections,as illustrated in Fig. 1, held together by screws 21), as shown in Fig.

.3. By making this housing in this Way it may be carries the brushfibers 20 is attached to'or made integral with the'member 18 and ispreferably made long enough so that the brush fibers 20 extend beyondthe apron 1a of the scrubber chassis.

It is, of course, apparent that various other forms of brushes may beused with the apparatus of my invention where certain unusual places areto be reached for scrubbing and cleaning;

In operation this apparatus of my invention isconnected to a source ofsteam supply, as illus-' trated in Fig. 2; The pet cocks 2b and 2c areused to control .the flow of steam to the rotor 14 and to the brushingand cleaning chambers,

respectively. When the steam is turned on to the rotor .14. through thepet. cook 21) it flows through the tubular hole 142) of the rotorhousing and impinges upon the blades of the rotor 14 therebyrotating therotor which transmits rotary motion to thebrushes. The speed of rotationof the brushes may be governed at will by increasing or decreasing theflow of steam to the rotor.

Theexhaust steam from the rotor is fed to the brushes through the hole140. tional steam or cleaning solution is desired around the cleaningsurface than is obtained from the rotor exhaust or where it is desiredto blow out dust or dirt from wall crevices without rotating the brushesthepet cook 20 which is attached to the stream pipe 2d and feeds steamto the cleaning surfaces through the pipe 2c, is opened. This permitsthe use of additional steam for cleaning purposes when desired and Whereaddi-v also permits the use of steam to blow dirt away from the brushesin order to prevent accumulations of grit and similar foreign matterfrom reaching the bearings of the brush shafts.

A projecting sleeve 3c is formed on the bottom of each of the housings 3to fit against the top of the brush support adjacent to the threadedsection 8 for thepurpose of preventing foreign matter to gain access tothe shaft 9 bearing surfaces.

While I have described my invention in certain preferred embodiments insome detail it is, of course, to be understood that numerous variationsthereof may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereofand that therefore I do not desire to limit this invention to thoseexact details except in so far as they may be defined by the appendedclaims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesis as follows:

1. In scrubbing apparatus the combination of an elongated-frame having adepending flange, a pair of handles positioned adjacent to the ends ofsaid frame, a pair of shafts rotatably supported in said frame, a pairof rotatable brushes supported on the lower side of said frame by saidshafts, gears mounted on each of said shafts, a fluid actuated motor fordriving said brush shafts, a shaft for rotatably supporting said fluidactuated motor, worm gears mounted on each end of said fluid actuatedmotor supporting shaft, said worm gears meshing with said firstmentioned gears, a housing positioned on the upper surface of said framefor enclosing said first mentioned gears, said worm gears and said fluidactuated motor, means for feeding a fluid medium to said fluid actuatedmotor, means positioned between said brushes forfeeding a cleaning fluidto said brushes, the lower portion of said housing for enclosing saidmotor having a hole formed in alignment. with a corresponding hole insaid frame for exhausting said fluid medium from said motor to saidbrushes, means for controling the feeding of said fluid medium to saidmotor and means for controlling the feeding of said cleaning fluid tosaid brushes.

..2. In scrubbing apparatus the combination of an elongated frame havinga depending flange, a pair of handles positioned adjacent to the'ends ofsaidframe, a pair of shafts rotatably mounted in said frame, a pair ofrotatable brushes sup-' ported on the lower side of said frame by saidshafts, gears mounted on each of said shafts, a fluid actuated motor fordriving said brush shafts, a shaft for rotatably supporting said fluidactuated motor, worm gears mounted on each end of said fluid actuatedmotor supporting shaft, said worm gears meshing with said firstmentioned gears, a housing positioned on the upper surface of said framefor enclosing said first mentioned gears, said worm gears and said fluidactuated motor, pipe connections for feeding a fluid medium to saidfluid actuated motor, pipe connections for feeding a cleaning fluid tosaid brushes, the lower portion of said housing for enclosing said motorhaving a hole formed in alignment with a corresponding hole in saidframe for exhausting said fluid medium from said motor to said brushes,means for controlling the feeding of the fluid medium to said motor andmeans for controlling the feeding of cleaning fluid to said brushes.

RICHARD JOSEPH BRINKER.

